Latvian literature

Latvian literature is literature written in the Latvian language. The first written works in Latvian date back to the 1500s, though many scholars point to the 1800s as the true beginning of Latvian literature. Latvian literature is closely tied to the culture and history of the region that is now Latvia, as the region was controlled and occupied by numerous different powers with their own interests and influences. The Soviet occupation of the mid- to late-twentieth century was extremely significant to the Latvian culture and its literature. Latvian literature is well known for using humor and wit to process serious and sometimes disturbing experiences.

Background

Latvian literature developed centuries after the birth of the Latvian language. The language, which is also called Lettish, developed in the region near the Baltic Sea. It is one of several Baltic languages, which form a branch of Indo-European languages. Prussian is a West Baltic language, and Latvian, Lithuanian, and Croatian are East Baltic languages. Scholars believe that, based on existing texts, Prussian was the first Baltic language to have a written component, and Latvian was most likely the last, since the first known text from that language dates to 1585. The language adopted a modified Latin alphabet in the early 1900s.

Today, Latvian is primarily used in Latvia, though a great deal of migration from Latvia to other countries in the twentieth century spread Latvian speakers to other parts of the world. The language has three main dialects: the Central (or Middle), Tamian, and High (or Eastern).

Overview

Scholars tend to date Latvian literature as beginning in the nineteenth century, though folk songs and epics were important parts of the Latvian culture as early as the 1300s. Latvians have long used folk songs to tell stories and to show opposition toward invading powers. However, because folk literature was considered a low form of art by many Europeans until the 1800s, many of the traditional folk songs were lost before they were written down to be saved for future generations. This folk tradition continued to play an important role in Latvian literature, with various literary movements embracing or reinventing them. Folk songs continue to be important in Latvia today, and the country continues to hold its annual Song and Dance Festival annually in Riga.

The first examples of a written Latvian language date to the sixteenth century and are related to Christianity, which had arrived in Latvia in the 1300s. They are written in Gothic script and were translations from German. They included ideas about the Reformation. Christian works continued to be a very important aspect of Latvian literature, with the first major book written in Latvian being a translation of the Bible. Many of these early Christian works were by German clergy who wanted to spread their faith and ideas in Latvia.

Although the Latvian language was used to write books, it was common for Latvians to read books in German or some other languages until the 1800s. At that time, Latvians became interested in writing down their folk songs and other types of folk literature. They also became more interested in formal education for all Latvians. These impulses happened in part because many Latvians were seeking a national identity at the time. Numerous young Latvians living in the late 1800s were proud of the country’s rustic culture, and they used literature to celebrate this aspect of the culture. Some wrote mythological poetry that is sometimes mistaken as traditional folk literature. A group of such writers were called the New-Latvians, and they included Miķelis Krogzemis (whose penname was Auseklis) and Krisjanis Valdemars. Andrejs Pumpurs was especially important during this era; he is best known for writing the epic poem “Lāčplēsis,” which is about a mythical hero of that name.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Latvian literature and culture changed again as European influence swept through the country. Some authors embraced this influence, while others shunned it. In the 1930s, a movement called positivism began in Latvian literature. This movement also stressed the value and importance of Latvia’s rustic culture.

The 1940s brought a sudden halt to the natural development of Latvian literature, as the Soviets invaded the country. In June 1940, Soviet tank divisions attacked and began occupying Latvia. The invaders took control and set up a puppet government, which later renamed the country to the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. As the Soviets took control, they began a cultural genocide on a level that Latvians had never experienced before, even though their country had been controlled on-and-off by other powers for centuries. The Soviets suppressed native Latvian religion, literature, and language. Furthermore, Latvia’s popular of two million was reduced to only one million because of forced deportations, imprisonments in gulags, and murders.

Latvians who tried to rebel against the Soviets were often deported or killed, or they escaped to other locations. Some of these exiles continued to write in Latvian, though the Soviets did not allow their works to published or read inside Latvia. Starting in the 1980s, Latvians began to believe that a future with Soviet occupation was possible, which encouraged more writing by Latvian speakers, both inside the country and in exile. In 1990, Latvian officials announced their independence from the Soviet Union. Important Latvian writers from the 1980s and 1990s include Mara Zalite, Modris Zihmanis, and Andra Nieburga.

Although the Latvians had regained their independence, many people living in the country retained the habits and beliefs that had helped them survive the Soviet era. For example, publishers continued to refuse to publish harsh criticisms of the Soviets. Aleksandrs Pelecis was a Latvian author who was sent to a Soviet gulag in the 1940s and not released until the 1960s. When he returned to Latvia, he wrote a nonfiction book about his experience; however, Pelecis had to publish the book twice because the Latvian publishers changed the content. He first published the book in 1991 with the title Ar melno veju (With the Black Wind) with the Latvian publisher Avots. When Pelecis realized the published had greatly altered the book to change its presentation of life and events in the prison, he published a second version called Sibirijas gramata (The Siberia Book) with the Latvian Press Group in the United States.

Although the Soviet occupation significantly changed Latvian history and culture, many traditional elements of Latvian literature remained, and more Latvian books were published at the end of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Latvian literature and culture is well known for using wit, humor (especially dark humor), wordplay, and absurdism. Latvians used this humor and other features, such as magical realism, to help them process the painful events of the past.

Another important development in Latvian literature in the twenty-first century was the reappearance of Latvian works formerly banned by the Soviets. Many of these works were stored for generations outside the Soviet sphere of influence. Latvian exiles in other countries built numerous libraries in the twentieth century so they could continue to enjoy reading in their native language. The libraries were essential for collecting works by Latvian exiles, whose works were banned inside Soviet-controlled Latvia. However, once Latvia regained its independence, such libraries were no longer necessary for safeguarding Latvian culture and literature. As a result, many of these libraries closed and sent their important materials back to libraries in Latvia. Such libraries were important in preserving all aspects of Latvian literature.

In the early twenty-first century, Latvian literature became even more focused on Latvian authors, with many publishers in the country focusing on publishing Latvian writers instead of translations of popular books written elsewhere. Furthermore, Latvian literature itself became more popular worldwide. Historical fiction novels, which analyzed past events, were important during this time. For example, the novel Mates Piens (Soviet Milk, 2015) by Nora Ikstena was a popular historical novel in Latvia and was published in numerous other languages. Other twenty-first-century authors contributed to Latvia's poetry scene, including Uldis Bērziņš, Inga Gaile, Kārlis Vērdiņš, and Ingmāra Balode. Among their works are "Lieldienas" ("Easter;" 2018), "Pieaugušie" ("Grown ups;" 2021), and "Patīk" ("I like;" 2024).

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